I'm very proud of myself this holiday. I made it through without gaining! I didn't lose any, but the main goal was not to slip backwards.

Those of you who are on my facebook know I go riding (I have a mountain bike), and I'm saving up for a road bike. I'm getting very close to that goal, so hopefully I'll be passing the 20 mile-per-ride (mpr) soon. I've lost 45 pounds so far trying to get in shape for a 100 km (Full Century) bike ride next October.

Well the "reasonably healthy eating" has started in earnest, and I am only 9 stone and 6 pounds, I probably put on about three pounds over Christmas - and I can assure you all, I thoroughly enjoyed all the "goodies" during the festive period! The best thing to do with spare "goodies", whether they be biscuits, chocolates or whatever, is not to have them in the house. Have them in the shed/outhouse, so that you have to make the effort to get to them. It's easy to put them in a cupboard and say you won't touch them, but my willpower isn't that strong! I have "treats" on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays - and I do my best not to go overboard on those days. So four days on a "diet" out of seven is reasonably good Here's to 2011, everyone, and lets hope we see "less" of each other during the year

_________________________ My mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open.

Well done you, Silvermoonsong, and you too Jane for being so reasonable!

I've been better this week and have started exercising again, though I don't really enjoy the stationary bike that much. If it's working, I'm not knocking it!Weigh-in on Friday to see what the Christmas damage is, and then head down for -5kg by St Valentine's Day

At a stage in the week I did a sneaky step on them and it was dead on 70kg (11st) but my official day seems to put it a tiny bit over that (non digital scales- heard to be so accurate) but still I'll take it!

Yes! Getting back in the groove, and one hour cycling every night , has resulted in -1.6kg (3.5lbs) on the scales this week. I've knocked off what I gained in December and a little extra to boot, leaving me currently at 70,6kg.

Let's hope I can keep it up, though with Gallette des Rois at work today I'm already playing catch up.

It's a very rich, puff pastry cake, filled with an equally rich creamy frangipane filling, and in which a ceramic fève is placed. The person who gets the fève in their slice is named 'king' for the day (in memory of the three wise men). Normally eaten for the epiphany, the boss surprised us all by bringing in a dozen of them to share at work to get the year off to a good start. Along with a flute or two of bubbly ... suffice to say I've used up any surplus calories for the week, but it was deliciously worth it!

Any loss is good loss, Jane, eh? Lots of little bits put together over a long time adds up to success! Good luck for the week ahead!

I'm back on the rails again after yesterday's slide off course: 1 hour cycling last night, 50 minutes brisk walk first thing this morning (Cookie was delighted), and another cycling session planned for tonight ... after that an hour a day on the bike should be more than enough to wear me out!

Stayed the same this week, but then again those two Mars bars and the Magnum during the week probably didn't help. Usually I 'allow' myself relax on a Friday night, and have a treat on a Saturday afternoon, but this week I had more 'treat' days than non-treat ones, and it's impossible to trick the scales.

-300g last week and -700g this week, that's a whole kilo gone (2.2lbs). I'm finally in the sixties and halfway to my target! Another ten-fifteen to go, and I'll be a happy Santana!

Hope you all are milling through the lbs too!

I have to admit that I went on a little spending spree though: A new zippy top, T shirt and sweat pants for the sporty days, a gorgeous top and puff dress for work, and a couple of other bits'n'bobs, I might even go looking at some sparkly necklaces and stuff tomorrow. It's such fun having a wide variety to choose from now!!!

oh I haven't updated here for a while The trip to America didn't do me any favours LOL We were very active over there but the food was a bit hard to be good for so while I stayed the same weight I'm just happy I didn't put any on.Am down to 69kg though which I'm very happy about. I'm aiming for 64 (10st) but that'll be a while away.I did buy a treadmill though as we went through nearly a week of extreme heat and then it rained for two days so couldn't get out for my walks. It won't arrive until next week bit will be good to have it here.

Just a little update, lost about 2 pounds in about a month. I think the problem is that I don't have the opportunity to exercise as much as I used to. But still content, limiting myself to my weekend treats

_________________________ My mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open.

Exercise really helps, doesn't it Jane? Once the lbs keep either coming off or simply staying off that's all that counts!

Great going Jill! Disneyland AND America, and you still managed not to put on any, I think that's a pretty good fix! Let me know how you find the treadmill, coz I really hate my stationery bike (though it does the job pretty well). I think my thighs in particular are now made of iron!!! Puping those pedals up and down really toughens them up!

I was wondering about a rowing machine, though it takes up a bit of space. It would work out the upper body, which is something I've neglected since I started this exercise lark. Walking and cycling really only concentrate on the butt and the legs (and the heart, obviously).

As we are both at the same weight now the competition gets tough, Which of us is going to hit that magical 65/64kg first??? I'm going so slowly at it now that I'm not laying any bets on getting there fast!

That's fantastic, Lioness! You should be so proud of yourself! I weighed in this morning at 68kg. It's still coming off but slowly (It won't happen overnight but it will happen LOL)

Got the treadmill up and running, Toni, but it's only been a few days. I am loving having it there and if I want to just run for a bit I can. I'm trying to run more and am finding it challenging but it is certainly working and I'm drenched by the time I finish

Hehe at least you can see that you're using up all that stored energy!!! No excuses for not working out now that you have the treadmill, you'll be melting away!

Great news for you too, Lioness!!! Even better that you feel great, makes it all worthwhile doesn't it? I am so looking forward to reaching my target ... though it's definitely a long way off! Even halfway there and I'm feeling better than I have in years, and kicking myself for not taking control much sooner :s

Excellent! That's fantastic, Toni My scales aren't so accurate but I'm somewhere in between 67-68. How far did you want to go? I was thinking around the 64 mark. i'm 5foot3 and that puts me at the higher end of the healthy scale. You saw that BEFORE photo that I put on facebook? I was wearing a blue shirt? Had a couple comments that I was looking 'gaunt'! It wasn't a great pic I know but I thought I am looking good LOL It has to be better than having double chins!!

You are so nearly at your ideal weight, copago! Those last few kilos are reputedly the most difficult to lose, though with your new 'toy' and your perseverance I'm certain you'll get there soon enough!

Mesuring in at a humble 5-foot-nothing, my healthy range is between 43kg (Hah! Not in your wildest dreams will I ever weigh so little) and 58kg, but if I can get back even to 60kg I'll be satisfied. It's the weight at which I was stable as a young adult before greed, 4 pregnancies and an increasingly sedentary life happened!

I still have a good way to go, and I expect it will take me (being realistic) until at least the end of the summer (September/October) to get there, but slow and steady is the way to go. At present I'm even happy just not to put back on what I've lost already when I'm finding it hard to stick to my calorie quota for the day and not snack or pig out.

As for your picture, the difference is just amazing, and I had to do a double check to make sure it was YOU I was looking at! I think you look great but I also think you are right not to try lose too much more. You'd definitely be pretty skeletal if you did! I also can't get over how much more you and Conor ressemble each other! It's nearly scary to see a mini-you looking over your shoulder!!!

I've missed three 'official' weigh-ins, so didn't really know what to expect today. It wasn't too bad I guess, I weighed-in at 65.9kg (145lbs/10.4 stone), so that's another kilo off and a total of 17.8kg (2.8 stone/39.24lbs) gone since August 2010. It's slow but I'll get down to the fifties eventually. Even a modest 59kg would be good.